Air Fryer Steak (Juicy & Ready in 10 Minutes)
Just because the weather keeps you off the grill doesn’t mean steak is off the menu. Air fryer steak gives you a juicy, restaurant-quality steak in under 10 minutes, no grill, no stovetop splatter, just steak, seasoning, and a pat of butter. It’s become one of my favorite weeknight shortcuts, and once you see how easy it is, you’ll wonder why you waited for the weekend.
Steaks are a popular dinner at our house. We don’t reserve having steak for just special occasions. We have steaks almost weekly and cook the steaks on the grill or in the cast iron skillet. And now we know how to make steaks in the air fryer.
This air fryer steak pairs well with broccoli and rice, creamed spinach, or cheesy potatoes. If you have two air fryers, air fryer broccoli or air fryer sweet potatoes are a great side with steaks, too.
Eating a good steak does not need to be reserved for just the grilled steak. Recently, I got some flat iron steaks in a beef package from D2Meats out of Kentucky on rangemarket.com and decided to try them in the air fryer.
Why Use an Air Fryer for Steaks?
Air fryers are known for cooking food quickly and evenly, and they work wonders on steaks. With precise temperature control, you can achieve a beautiful sear and lock in all those delicious juices—without a grill or stovetop!
Ingredients for an Air Fryer Steak
A good steak is not one requiring a lot of ingredients. For these air fryer steaks you really just need two ingredients, three if you like it topped off with butter.
- Steaks – I used a flat iron steak that was between 3/4 inch and 1 inch thick. Whatever your steak cut preference will work here. If you would grill it, I would air fry it too. I would recommend a choice or prime-grade steak, no matter the cut.
- Steak Seasoning – Everyone has their favorite seasoning. If I am looking for a simple, versatile seasoning, I go with Weber Steak N’ Chop Seasoning.
- Butter – When the steak is almost finished cooking, add a pat of butter on top to finish it off. The butter can also be totally omitted.
See the recipe card for quantities.
How to cook a steak in the air fryer
Easy and fast are the reasons you should be tempted to try cooking the steak sitting in your fridge in the air fryer. The flavor and juiciness are the reasons cooking the steak in the air fryer should not be ignored. Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees of high grill setting if you have a grill/air fryer combo.
Pull the steaks out of the fridge 30 minutes before you plan on cooking them.
Season both sides of the steak. When the air fryer is hot, grease the pan and lay the steaks in the air fryer.
Cook the flat iron steaks in an air fryer for 5 minutes, then flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
Top the steaks with butter before removing them from the air fryer. Then let the steak rest for 3-5 minutes before cutting into it.
If you want a medium or medium-well-cooked steak, you will need to add additional time to the cooking time. I am going to be honest, I never cook steak past medium rare on purpose. I am not sure how much extra time.
Hint: Steak quality matters. Make sure you buy a steak that is a choice or prime grade. This will have more fat in the marbling to give the most flavor to the eating experience.
Air Fryer Steak Cooking Times by Doneness
I’ll be honest — I almost never cook steak past medium rare on purpose. But plenty of you like it cooked further, so here’s a doneness guide so everyone gets their perfect steak. These times are for a 1-inch steak at 400°F, flipping halfway through. Always confirm with a meat thermometer, and remember the steak keeps cooking a few degrees as it rests.
| Doneness | Internal Temp | Approx. Air Fryer Time |
|---|---|---|
| Rare | 125°F | 6–7 minutes |
| Medium-Rare | 135°F | 8–9 minutes |
| Medium | 145°F | 10–11 minutes |
| Medium-Well | 155°F | 12–13 minutes |
| Well Done | 160°F+ | 14+ minutes |
Pull the steak about 5°F before your target temp — carryover heat during the rest will finish the job and keep it from overcooking.
What air fryer to get?
I have tried lots of different air fryers, but my favorite is hands down the Ninja Foodi Air Fryer and Grill 5 in 1. I use it nearly every single day. The grill pan is perfect for making grilled chicken, hamburgers, and now steaks on.
If you have more than four people in your family, I recommend getting the XL Ninja Foodie Grill and Air fryer.
How to reheat steak in the air fryer
Store the cooked steaks in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
To reheat, remove the steaks from the fridge and let them warm to room temperature. Then reheat for 5 minutes in the air fryer.
You can also slice the steaks to reheat as I do with these leftover steak sandwiches.
Best Steak Recipes
The perfect steak recipe is really subjective. I have tried cooking steaks in a lot of different ways with a lot of different methods. Here are a few of my favorite ways to cook a steak.
FAQ
The doneness of the steak you like depends on what temperature you want to cook it to. Here is a general rule of thumb:
Rare: 125°F
Medium-Rare: 135°F
Medium: 145°F
Medium Well: 155°F
Well: 160°F
REMEMBER – Steak will continue to cook slightly as it rests. Preheat the air fryer a few degrees before these temperatures to make sure it isn’t overcooked.
If your steaks are frozen, pull them out of the freezer and put in the fridge 24 hours before you want to cook them so they can thaw out. If you don’t have 24 hours. Pull them out and submerge them in warm water. When the water becomes cool, dump and repeat.
I buy my beef directly from the farms and ranches most of the time. My brother raises beef, so the majority comes from his farm and the local butcher. However, Range Market is a cool website that helps you connect directly to farms and ranches to buy beef directly from them.
What to Serve with Steak
Here are the best side dish recipes alongside the steaks:
Air Fryer Steaks
Ingredients
- 4 Steak Flat Iron, Ribeye, Sirloin, T-Bone, or New York Strip steaks, an inch thick
- 1 teaspoon steak seasoning
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Set steaks out of the fridge for 15-30 minutes prior to preparing to make steak.
- Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees. If you are using an air fryer with a grill setting, preheat on high setting.
- Season both sides of the steak and put oil on the bottom of the air fryer pan.
- Sear both sides of the steak for 5 minutes and flip the steaks. Cook another 3-5 minutes and place a pat of butter on the steak before removing from air fryer.
- For more rare steak cook closer to 6 minutes more well done, closer to 10 minutes.
- Let rest for five minutes before eating.
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